The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for loading and unloading curtains or other suspended objects from curtain or support railing. More particularly, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to improved methods and devices for loading curtains on and off curtain railing by means of a cartridge mechanism which allows the removal of an entire hanging curtain installation from a particular curtain track. Of course while the present invention is described in the context of curtain installations, it is possible that the invention may find application in other contexts where a plurality of track-located attachment elements need to be installed or removed.
The present invention will be described in the context of the installation/removal of curtains wherein the curtains are suspended by a plurality of curtain attachment elements. However, as noted above, the particular features of the present invention may find application in analogous situations where a multiplicity of track-mounted elements needs to be installed or uninstalled. The following description will concentrate primarily on curtain installations.
Prior art curtain installations generally comprise a curtain track, a multiplicity of curtain attachment elements xe2x80x9cthreadedxe2x80x9d on to the track (usually via a channel) and the curtain attached by means of regularly spaced curtain suspension elements attached thereto. It is well known to make and install a curtain by preparing the curtain fabric and affixing along an upper edge thereof a multiplicity of attachment elementsxe2x80x94usually hooks, eyelets or other devicesxe2x80x94which are adapted to be threaded onto a linear track. Other types of attachment elements may include hooks and eyelets where the eyelets are themselves adapted to be threaded on to the track. The hook/eyelet constructions allow each of the hooks to be detached from a corresponding eyelet and the curtain removed. Alternatively, the curtain can be removed by removing an end cap or other locking device which xe2x80x9csealsxe2x80x9d the curtain track channel and simply unthreading the multiplicity of attachment elements from the end of the track. Reinstallation of such elements generally involves inserting sequentially the attachment elements into the track or hooking the curtain into the intermediate eyelet or attachment elements sequentially.
Such prior art installation/removal techniques are extremely time consuming as a typical curtain installation may incorporate up to eighty or more attachment elements. The time and effort involved in removal/installation of a curtain is particularly highlighted in the context of, for example, curtain surrounds for hospital beds. These curtains are used for screening and privacy purposes and, given the hygiene requirements of hospitals, need to be regularly removed and cleaned. The removal of such installations can be problematic and highly time consuming as the curtain track is generally suspended high above the floor level thus requiring maintenance staff to have access to an elevated position. Once elevated, the attachment elements are sequentially unhooked or disengaged or the entire curtain is unthreaded from its track. Not only is such a technique extremely time consuming, it may also raise issues of occupational health and safety in a sense that manipulating curtains while elevated poses the risk of falling and injury. Therefore, there may be issues of statutory compliance.
Efforts have been made to overcome the above problems by providing a cartridge loading system which allows a curtain, or other tracked article, to be xe2x80x9cloadedxe2x80x9d on to a track in a single, simple step. However, cartridge loading systems also suffered the disadvantage that positioning or locking the cartridge in place could be difficult, time consuming and intricate.
A further difficulty arises where more than one curtain is loaded on to the main track. For example if the main track contains three curtains and the curtain most distant from the cassette needs to be removed, all intermediary curtains must be removed so that the required curtain can be positioned on the cassette for unloading.
The present invention attempts to overcome the abovementioned problems by providing a cartridge loading system for a curtain, or other tracked article, which may be positioned at any point in the track system, thereby allowing a plurality of curtains, or other tracked articles, to be loaded or unloaded independently. Further, the current invention attempts to overcome the problem of having a break in the track channel thereby allowing the curtain, or other tracked article, attachment elements to pass the position of the cassette.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a loading/unloading system for tracked articles which Is fast and simple to use, overcomes or a least ameliorates a number of the disadvantages inherent in the prior art, or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a device for loading or unloading a plurality of attachment elements to/from a channel of a track, including:
a receiving member adapted to be disposed in a track having a channel adapted to receive a plurality of attachment elements, the receiving member having at least one securing means with a first and a second position, a biasing means biasing the securing means in the first position; and
a loading/unloading member with a channel adapted to receive a plurality of attachment elements, the loading/unloading member having one or more engagement slots adapted to removably engage with the securing means, and wherein the loading/unloading member may be engaged, or disengaged, from the receiving member by a single operator movement, and when engaged the attachment elements can be moved between the track channel and the loading/unloading member channel.
In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of loading or unloading a plurality of attachment elements to a channel of a track, the method including the steps of:
modifying a track to co-operate with a loading/unloading member having a channel adapted to receive a plurality of attachment elements;
providing, in association with the track, at least one securing means movable between a first and a second position, a biasing means biasing the securing means in the first position;
engaging, or disengaging, the loading/unloading member to/from the modified track via the securing means; and
moving a plurality of attachment elements between the track and the loading/unloading member or vice versa to load or unload the attachment elements.
Preferably the securing means is an elongated pin extending, in a substantially horizontal orientation, laterally through the track, or receiving member, with the ends of the pin protruding from either side of the track; the pin being located in, and free to move within, a slot orientated longitudinally with the track, or receiving member, so that the pin can move from a first position to a second position, the biasing means biasing the pin in the first position.
Preferably the engagement slot includes a first and second section, the first section being adapted to move the securing means to the second position during engagement of the loading/unloading member with the track, or receiving member; and once the loading/unloading member is fully engaged with the receiving member, or track, the second section of the engagement slot allows the securing means to return to the first position thereby securing the loading/unloading member with the track, or receiving member.
Preferably the track, or receiving member, has a pair of securing means positioned adjacent to each other, the loading/unloading member having a corresponding pair of engagement slots.
Preferably the biasing means is a spring.
The loading/unloading member Is disengaged from the track, or receiving member, by moving the securing means from the first position to the second position.
The invention also provides for a tool to facilitate disengagement of the loading/unloading member from the track, or receiving member, the tool having a first member and a second member, the first member being adapted to support the loading/unloading member and the second member being adapted to move the securing means from the first position to the second position.
In an alternative embodiment the position of the securing means, and the engagement slots may be inverted in terms of their respective positions on the track, or receiving member, and the loading/unloading member.